Magnetic securing means



Sept. 19, 1961 s. A. RIDGE MAGNETIC SECURING MEANS Filed March 5, 1960 FIG.I

FIG 2 LNS INVENTOR STOCKWELL A- RIDGE FIGA ATTORNEY United States Patent 6 1 3,000,016 MAGNETIC SECURING MEANS Stockwell A. Ridge, 907 W. Water St., Elmira, NY. Filed Mar. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 12,606 1 Claim. (Cl. 4-149) The present invention relates to magnetic securing means for the lower ends of shower curtains and the like, and more particularly to a permanent magnetic assembly arranged to grasp and attach itself to such curtain whenever applied thereto, and to also releasably adhere to the inner surface of a bath tub of ferrous construction when brought into proximity thereto.

The use of permanent magnets sewed or pocketed in the lower portions of shower curtains for holding them against the interior of the tub has heretofore been proposed as shown for instance in the patent to Piken, 2,212,326 issued August 20, 1940. Such devices however are subject to the disadvantages that the curtain must be specially constructed or altered to accommodate and locate the magnets; when so mounted the magnets are not adjustable to optimum positions for the particular installation and are not readily removable to permit laundering the curtain; and comparatively large and expensive magnets are required since there is no provision for concentrating the flux of the magnets where it will be most effective in providing the attachment to the interior of the tub. Moreover the magnets are spaced from the surface of the tub by the thickness of the curtain material, thus substantially reducing their effectiveness.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel magnetic attaching means for shower curtains and the like which is effective in operation, economical in construction and readily applicable to such curtains without special construction or alteration of the curtains.

It is another object to provide such a device embodying means for concentrating and directing the flux of the magnet to secure optimum efliciency of the magnetic circuit in performing its function.

It is another object to provide such a device in which the flux-concentrating means serves to grasp the curtain and provide a secure attachment of the magnet thereto, while leaving the magnet outside the curtain where it can make direct contact with the surface of the tub.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a bath tub with a shower curtain held in contact with the interior surface thereof by magnetic assemblies in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the parts of the magnetic assembly shown in disassembled relation;

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in assembled relation; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, of a portion of the tub with the shower curtain attached thereto by means of applicants magnetic assembly.

In FIG. 1, of the drawing there is semi-diagrammatically illustrated a portion of a bath tub of conventional cast iron construction or the like in which is suspended a shower curtain 11 of flexible material in any suitable manner to confine the spray of a shower, not illustrated, to the interior of the tub. In order to releasably hold the lower portion of the curtain 11 against the inner surface of the tub to prevent the curtain from flapping due to convection air currents, magnetic assemblies indicated generally by the numeral 12 are aflixed to the curtain in position to engage and attach themselves to the interior of the tub.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the magnetic assembly comprises a permanent magnet 13 of generally rectangular cross section, and a combined keeper or pole piece and clamping member '14 of magnetizable material such as a soft iron stamping which, as shown in FIG. 3, is arranged to loosely surround the magnet 13 on three sides, leaving the fourth side exposed. The magnet 13 is preferably constructed of a material having a high coercive force polarized across its short dimension as indicated by the letters N, S in the drawing, whereby the face of the magnet which is intended to engage the interior of the tub constitutes one pole of the magnet, and the opposite pole is engaged and enclosed by the pole piece and clamping member 14. Said clamping member thereby becomes magnetized, and the flux of the magnet is concentrated and conducted to the ends of said pole piece as shown in FIG. 3.

In operation, after the curtain 1 1 is hung in the desired position with respect to the tub 10, a pole piece 14 is applied to the curtain at the desired location with respect to the rim of the tub 10, and a magnet 13 brought into registry therewith on the exterior of the curtain. The attraction between the magnet 13 and clamping member 14 immediately causes the clamping member to be drawn to the magnet, thus wrapping the curtain 11 around the three sides of the magnet and grasping the curtain firmly against the magnet to form a secure connection therewith as shown in FIG. 4.

When the curtain is released and allowed to hang in proximity to the interior of the tub 10, the concentrated flux between the ends of the clamping member 14 and the oppositely polarized exposed face of the magnet is effective to energetically draw the magnetic assembly against the interior of the tub 10. The ferrous material of the tub thereby is caused to substantially complete the magnetic circuit between the poles N, S of the magnet 13, thus causing the magnetic assembly to be firmly attached to the tub while increasing the clamping effect of the member 14 on the curtain 11.

It will thus be seen that there is here provided a very simple, economical and effective attachment which is instantly applicable at any desired location to any form of flexible curtain.

While certain structure has been shown and described in detail it will be understood that changes may be made in the precise form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claim.

I claim:

Magnetic means for attaching a flexible curtain or the like to the plane surface of a ferrous member including a permanent magnet of generally rectangular cross-section, and a pole piece of magnetizable material having a U-shaped cross-section loosely surrounding said magnet on three sides, leaving the fourth side free for direct engagement with said ferrous member, said curtain being grasped between the pole piece and magnet to form the sole attachment of said magnetic means to the curtain; the edges of said pole piece terminating in close proximity to the surface of said fourth side of said magnet whereby when said attaching means is brought into contact with the surface of the ferrous member, said ferrous member substantially completes the magnetic circuit of said magnet; in which said magnet is so polarized that said fourth side constitutes one pole, and the opposite side, surrounded by the pole piece, constitutes the other pole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,624,741 Leppke et a1. Apr. 12, 1927 2,601,424 Baker June 24, 1952 2,698,917 Van Urk et a1 Jan. 4, 1955 2,864,096 Garber Dec. 16, 1958 

